Before long, Ella and Terry were talking like old friends, retelling old adventure stories while Bill and I listened and laughed. We finished the bottle of wine, kissed the guys goodbye, and then caught a cab over to the bar.
Saturday night was shaping up to be one of the best I had ever had.
The bar was not as I expected it to be.
Ella and I—completely overdressed and out of place—stood by the bar as I questioned her. “I thought you said you’ve been here before. I could have worn my jeans, El!”
Unmistakably sheepish, she lifted her screwdriver to her lips and muttered apologetically, “I have…but I may have left out that it was years ago.”
A man sitting on the opposite end of the bar raised his shot glass and tried to wink, but it came off as a blink. From the way he was swaying side-to-side, I thought it was one shot too many.
I glared at Ella. “I need a drink.”
She tapped the bar to get the bartender’s attention. “We need drinks, kind sir.”
The bartender was a tall, strong man with rolled up sleeves and tattooed arms. He was attractive in his own way, and as soon as he laid eyes on Ella, he was a goner. His smile looked as though it had been hidden away too long, and Ella was bringing it out. He leaned forward to get closer to her. “And what would you girls like?”
I sat on my stool and leaned my chin on my upturned hand. “Something that doesn’t taste like alcohol, if you can manage it.”
He turned to me. “You ever have a Long Island iced tea?” I shook my head and he grinned. “I’ll set you up.”
Mike, as it turns out the bartender’s name was, indeed set us up. I was four Long Island iced teas in and feeling pretty all right. It was well past eleven pm, and there was still no sign of Ella’s beau. While Ella had relaxed some and started to flirt with Mike, I checked my phone.
I wanted to call Quinn. I felt like chatting. But I wasn’t dumb. It was a Saturday night and he was an escort. There was no doubt in my mind that he would be quote entertaining unquote this evening.
That kind of sucked. I wanted to tell him about my night’s escapades. I had a whole lot of firsts going on. My first dress. My first Long Island iced tea. My first drunken experience. And I was sure tomorrow would see my first hangover if I didn’t switch to water soon.
Suddenly, the entrance opened and a cacophony of hooting, whooping, and laughing passed through with the men who entered. Ella smiled up at Mike then turned to the door. Her smile fell. And so did my gut when I caught Mike watching Ella look at another man.
Ella muttered softly, “Oh, my God, that’s him, Mia. The guy in the white shirt and blue jeans. That’s Rick.”
I focused on the group as best I could. Five men piled into a booth and a rather dashing man with a gleaming smile laughed along with his friends. They all looked to be in their thirties, and were clearly having a great time. From first glance, I could see that he was a good-looking man, but something about him gave me the shivers. His eyes held no warmth.
Without a moment to think, Ella stood, straightened her dress, downed the rest of her drink, and walked over to the men. They stopped talking as she approached, but Rick looked her up and down, a sly smile crossing his lips. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Rick slid out of the booth, took Ella’s hand, and led her to a small booth by the restrooms. As they walked, she turned to me, smiled hard, and gave me a thumbs-up.
I smiled back in support and turned to a now sulking Mike. “Sorry about Ella.”
He smiled back. “Don’t apologize. She’s sweet.”
While Ella better acquainted herself with Rick, I played games on my phone and sipped at the water Mike had brought me. I raised my head to look for Ella, but she wasn’t at her booth.
Mike must’ve seen me searching for her, because he wiped down the bar, uttering a rough, “Lover boy took her into the restrooms.” My mouth gaped. He smiled sadly. “She looked eager.”
What on earth is going on?
I sat at the bar, fully conscious of the fact that Ella had been gone for more than ten minutes. When she returned, I breathed a sigh of relief. But when she came over to me, she couldn’t look me in the eye. “Can we go? Please?” The tone of her voice had changed. It was flat. Empty.
Rick entered the room and mimed pumping his thrusting pelvis into a chair. His crowd of friends burst into fits of laughter.
Oh no.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” I placed some cash on the bar for Mike and when he returned, he handed me a folded note.
He looked over at Ella. “Will you make sure she gets that?”
I liked Mike. He seemed like a decent guy. “Sure.”
In the cab home, Ella cried. She cried all the way to my apartment, where she told me she had sex with Rick in a dirty toilet cubicle that smelled like piss. Once they were done, he told he she was all right…for a piglet.
I cursed Rick to hell as I held and comforted my new friend. I had a mind to go back there and show him what I really thought about him…by shoving my shoe up his ass. Not wanting to talk about Rick anymore, Ella cried some more.
We got back to my apartment where she cried until she fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-One
Quinn
I woke up smiling.
Today was the day.
I’d made sure that my previous night’s appointment didn’t run too late, because I wanted to be positive I would be in my best form for the night to come.
Maya.
I was meeting her for the first time. To say I was excited was a complete understatement. I mean, sure, I was going to take her virginity, but I would also be meeting my friend. The person who had made the last two weeks run easier for me. The person I would call to talk smack with. The one person who made me forget about what I did for a living and just treated me as I was.
I was appreciative of Maya, and tonight I would give her an experience she would never forget. She deserved that much.
As soon as I could see properly, I slid off my bed and stood nude, stretching. Once I felt able to function, I made my way into the kitchen and downed a protein shake then slipped on some gym shorts and running shoes. I walked out of my apartment building and onto the beach sans shirt.
It was a decent morning. The sun was shining, spreading warmth, and the breeze was slight. The perfect day to be outdoors.
I needed to run, and I’d do it for a while, because it was important that I burn some energy before the night ahead. I didn’t want to scare Maya off. Truth was that I could be a little over-eager. The last thing I wanted to do was come across as pushy. She’d already told me that wasn’t something that excited her.
Candy had done me a favor when she booked Maya in at six. Being my night off, it meant I could hang around for as long as I wanted. I wouldn’t restrict myself to just one hour. I wanted to get to know her better.
My plan was to order room service and eat together. Eating together was usually an icebreaker. Then we’d talk about what she wanted to get from our night together. After that, I’d play it by ear.
Who knew? Maybe Maya just wanted a quick screw and be done with it. Or perhaps she wanted it to last. I’d pay special attention to her, the noises she made and the areas that were sensitive. I needed to make this good. This appointment was as important for me as it was for her. Taking a woman’s virginity was a big deal.
And she was my first.
In a way, I was glad. On the other hand, I was alarmed. What if I couldn’t match what she had made of me in her mind? Instructing a woman on masturbation over the phone was one thing, but sex was another. We’d just have to take it one baby step at a time.
I wiped the sweat from my face, panting, and then checked the display on my watch. 2:15 p.m. An hour and a half of running would have to do. I needed to make my way home and prepare myself. And when I said prepare, I meant in every way.
Sluggishly walking up the stairs to my apartment, I unlocked the door and kicked my shoes off. My shorts foll
owed. There was no point in showering right now; I’d have to do it all over again in another couple of hours. Besides, I liked the way my skin felt after allowing sweat to dry on me.
Stretching my neck from side-to-side, I walked to the corner of the room and pulled open the yoga mat. It was crucial that I relax, and only two things helped. Yoga. And sex.
I was already semi-hard. My body knew the drill.
Laying the mat on the ground, I sat sukhasana, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. I did this a while before standing high warrior then into tree position. I switched from downward dog into plank, and lastly into sunbird. My body loose, I inhaled then exhaled slowly.
My cock, now fully erect, twitched, slapping against my stomach. I muttered to myself, “Yeah, yeah. Down boy,” then lay flat on my back in the middle of my TV room. I shut my eyes and thought about tonight. My stomach jerked in anticipation. I slid my hand over my hip then ran it over my hard length. My mouth parted in pleasure.
I did it again. Gripping, I jerked it slowly, up then down and back again, running my thumb over the beaded pre-cum resting at my slit. I used the lubrication to massage the sensitive underside, making a faster rhythm with the palm of my hand.
I thought about sex. Dirty sex. Hot sex. Meaningless, raw fucking. I thought about the moment of entry, when my cock head meets sweet, wet pussy, the memory of the feeling enveloping me. I dreamed of tits and sucking nipples, pink ones, brown ones, red ones.
A groan caught in my throat as my cock jumped in my hand, responding to the dirty thoughts in my head. My hand worked faster, harder. My hips thrust into the empty hollow of my palm, and the muscles at the sides of my ass and thighs clenched delightfully at being put to work.
I needed this. Oh, God…how I needed this.
Then I thought about a faceless woman who would give herself to me this night. Eyes of no color, and lips of no particular thickness called to me. The memory of her sweet, husky voice at the moment of her first orgasm assaulted me. “Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Oh, God. Oh, shit. Jesus Christ!”
Would she come so explosively under me as I rocked into her?
At the thought of Maya coming around my cock, squeezing it tight in her wet warmth, my entire body seized. The hand gripping my prick tightened as my face became pained. Gritting my teeth, my hips jerked uncontrollably. Intense pleasure that bordered pain drifted over my body as I watched my cock spasm repeatedly, spilling come over my stomach.
All at once, I collapsed back onto the yoga mat, panting and sweating. Feeling limp everywhere, I lay there for a long while before sitting up then standing and walking to the bathroom to turn on the shower.
I needed to shave my balls. Ah, the life of a male escort. So glamorous.
The phone at the bedside rang. I ran over to answer it. “Hello?”
A woman on the other end asked, “Hello, Mr. Quinn. Jane from room service here. I see you have ordered a dessert sample platter this evening for your company tonight. Might I suggest the Brown Brothers Moscato to accompany that? Or perhaps a Zibbibo?”
I loved how thorough this hotel was. I suppose that was why I paid as much I did. “Whatever you suggest will be fine.” A sudden thought came to me. “Jane, I didn’t see a crème brûlée on the menu.”
As always, Jane lived to please. “No, Mr. Quinn, there isn’t. I’m afraid the room service menu is not very vast. But being that you’re a repeat customer, I can ask Chef Jacque in the hotel restaurant if he can spare the one from the evening service.”
I smiled then looked down at my watch. It was five-fifty on the dot. “If you can get it to me by six, there will be a very sizable tip involved.”
Professional as ever, Jane responded simply with, “Six it is, sir.”
I hung up, looked around the room, and once again made sure everything was perfect for tonight.
***
Mia
I was there. At the very moment my life would change significantly.
I thought about what I had done during the day and frowned. Today should have been memorable, and although I was absolutely sure it would be, I suddenly wished I’d made the entire day worth remembering.
Glancing down at my watch, I bit the inside of my cheek as my heart pounded. 5:58 p.m. Two minutes early. Would I look desperate if I knocked right this second?
I bounced from foot to foot before rolling my eyes and silently groaning. Swallowing hard, I lifted my hand, and before I could stop myself, I knocked. Suddenly parched, I waited for the door to open. After the longest eight seconds of my life, the latch clicked over and the door opened.
And there stood Matt Quinn—my longtime crush, my new friend, and the man who would take my virginity. He looked hot as ever with his lips already curved into a ridiculously attractive grin, his hazel eyes dancing, his dark hair cut shorter than the last time I saw him. It was still the chaotic perfection I remembered. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt with white buttons and left it untucked over blue jeans so dark they could have been black. I’d forgotten how tall he was. With his shirtsleeves rolled up to the elbow, revealing his strong forearms, he looked delicious. Edible. To top it all off, he wore no shoes or socks.
There was something about a barefoot male that did something to me. It was familiar. Perhaps a little too familiar. I was in big trouble.
I did the only thing I could do in my situation. I smiled, albeit weakly.
And I watched while Quinn’s dropped right off his face.
Fuck.
***
Quinn
Double-checking the room setting, the discreet condom placement, and my bag of tricks, I stood in the middle of the room, frowning. I was sure I was forgetting something.
A knock at the door snagged my attention. My lips curved into a grin. She was here.
I walked over to the door, and despite how much I wanted to peek through the peephole, I didn’t. Instead, I unlocked the door and threw it open. And there she stood. Maya.
But I was confused, and the smile fell from my face.
As I looked down at the woman standing in front of me, smiling faintly, I searched her. She was shorter than average height with soft curves outlined by the classy dress she chose to wear. The colors of the dress worked well with her pale complexion, browns, tans, and off-whites. She didn’t wear pumps, but rather an open-toed ballet flat in off-white. My gaze went back to her face. Her pretty face.
Full lips stretched painfully into a small smile that actually looked more like a grimace, high cheekbones tinged with pink, long black lashes, and big doe eyes the color of melted chocolate.
She was cute. Goddamn it. She was cute!
I looked farther down. A slender neck. Then down farther. Full breasts pushed up like a sweet, tempting offering. Down still. Her stomach wasn’t flat; it pooched a little, which, personally, I loved. A soft woman was all woman. The gospel according to Quinn. Amen.
As she stood there, I looked her over and over, trying desperately to find something wrong with her. Alas, I came up empty-handed. Shaking my momentary shock off, I smiled again. “Maya?”
A pretty flush colored her cheeks. Reaching up, she pushed her long, thick, red-brown hair behind her ear. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hi, Quinn.” She said this so softly my gut coiled.
She was nervous. Nervous, I could deal with. I expected nervous. I didn’t expect to feel her internal struggle. She was having second thoughts. Well, she could take those thoughts and shove ‘em!
Before she could say another word, I took her hand, pulled her inside the hotel room, and shut the door. Without permission, I pulled her toward the bed and sat down, tugging her down next to me.
I couldn’t help it; I laughed. This sweet little woman was the person I had befriended. She was nothing like I imagined. I expected awkward, not attractive.
Remembering all those conversations, I narrowed my eyes at her. Reaching up, I took her face in my hands and leaned in, studying her nose. Her eyes widened comically and I foug
ht another laugh. “Hmmm,” I uttered. “No warts.” Pulling back, I released her then sighed. “You lied, Maya.” I did my best to look thoroughly wounded. “I thought we were friends.”
The moment she realized I was joking, she bit her lip then dipped her chin, hiding her smile. I watched curiously as her shoulders bobbed in silent laughter. She finally lifted her face, lips twitching, and shrugged. “I had to talk myself up a bit, didn’t I?”
A chuckle escaped me. For the second time in as many minutes, I gently cupped her cheeks as I studied her up close. Then I muttered to myself, “God, you’re a pretty little thing.”
Her smile fell as she blinked up at me, her eyes impossibly wide. I quickly realized I was making her uncomfortable.
“Oh.” I stood, retrieving the gift bag from the kitchen counter. Standing by her feet, I handed it to her.
Looking adorably surprised, her eyes narrowed up at me. “What did you do, Cap’?” I inclined my head to the bag. She reached inside and pulled out the rubber duckies. Laughing, I could see her shoulders lose some of their tension and she smiled up at me. “You really got me rubber ducks?” Shaking her head, she chuckled holding the pink, blue, and yellow ducks. She looked up at me and uttered a genuine, “Thank you, Quinn. This is the sweetest gift I’ve ever received. I’ll treasure them always.”
Her smile was open and honest. This was Maya. I was seeing her in that smile, and it did something to me. I felt it. My heart skipped a beat at that wide smile. It was the kind of smile you needed to respond to. The kind of smile your own was called to. God, she was pretty as she was, but when she smiled, she was incredible. My cock twitched.
She started to place the bag on the floor, but I quickly added, “There’s one more thing.”
Smiling hard, she stood, reached inside the bag, and bunched her nose. “Something else? What did you get me, Quinn?”